An integrated guidance and autopilot scheme for a path-following UAV is presented in this study. A fixed wing aircraft usually performs a bank-to-turn maneuver in order to change its flight direction. The novel approach presented here however, assumes that each of the three channels of the integrated guidance and autopilot can be independently designed. This concept makes the design process simple. A virtual target moving on the pre-specified path for the UAV is introduced to facilitate the algorithm development. A first/second-order sliding structure with a second-order sliding mode and a high-order sliding mode differentiator for the estimation of the uncertain sliding surfaces are selected to develop the UAV's integrated guidance and autopilot scheme. Stability analysis and error bounds due to measurement errors and model uncertainties are provided. Potential of the proposed method is demonstrated through a path-following application of a UAV on a difficult helical ascent flight under wind turbulence.
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